bridge too far

jack

bagger

s h a g pile

So what are you saying here? That ALL people who smoke should be denied treatment. Even if they've been smashed up in a road accident and their admittance is nothing to do with smoking related disease? If so you will, presumably, extend this theory to ALL people who over-eat or drink too much or break legs playing football or skiing? After all, that's all self-inflicted, isn't it?

The sad thing about that little boy is that his mother was convinced he was eating healthily - fruit and vegetables. It was the AMOUNT he was eating, coupled with the fact that he was too fat to exercise. Poor little chap.

Thankyou And I could follow your contribution with Brush for the umpteenth time

Did anyone else see Panorama last night? About children having surgery at Alder Hey Children's Hospital. A 5 year old boy who weighed as much as a 15 year old and whose face was so fat he could barely see A 2 year old who had to have her milk teeth extracted because they were rotten from her taking a bottle to bed A 4 year old having her baby teeth removed because he had to have ketchup on everything Shocking programme!

I am completely and utterly bewildered now

A large percentage of the 'bureaucrats' they talk about are in fact clinicians who take on additional duties as managers. Such as the matrons we've just been talking about. Every clinical department has a clinical lead - who will be a Consultant. Every clinical department has a clinical nurse manager. Theatres have theatres managers who have to schedule theatres lists. I've just had a booklet from my local NHS community trust. 1% of the money spent is on management costs. http://www.oxfordshirepct.nhs.uk/about-us/publications/documents/YourGuide2010Finalrevisedwebversion.pdf page 2

robson

No - if you'd read the link you would see that: "Each matron will be in charge of three to four wards and will be responsible for certain specialities like cancer, paediatrics or surgery." In the olden days there just used to be one matron for each hospital. "The role of the matron was abolished in the British National Health Service in the late 1960s as part of the reorganisation recommended by the Salmon report." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matron#cite_note-nhshistory-1 I have a friend who is matron for the paediatrics department at a very large local hospital. It's a big, big job.

They have been - quite some time ago http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/1259871.stm Probably not the Hattie Jaques type that would appeal to you though

^ soldier

sling

stair

So they say. But ask yourself this: Who introduced the internal market in the NHS that created more bureaucracy that people moan about now? Who introduced the concept of PFI (continued by the present government, to its eternal shame)? Who introduced market testing which resulted in external private companies being brought in to clean hospitals - and look what happened.

gun

Greens 50% Labour 50% on the first one linked

beautiful

This statement, more than any other ever posted on here, just about sums up those who support right-wing policies.

apportion

spam

spam

Absolutely right Andy. In any event, people can already get involved in many of the non-professional decisions of these bodies. There are patient representatives on hospital trust boards and we've already talked about school governors. But to have time to do these things you have to be self-employed / retired. But never on a professional level! Imagine trying to tell a consultant orthopaedic surgeon how to conduct his/her clinics or a hospital theatres manager how to run lists. Blimey, hospital chief executives have enough trouble trying to do just this!

tooth